Inside The Bills

According to the Washington Post, part of the reason the Green Bay Packers elevated QB Graham Harrell from their practice squad to their active roster was to fend off interest from the Buffalo Bills.

As a member of an NFL practice squad, you’re essentially a free agent in waiting. Any NFL club can sign a player to their active roster off another team’s practice squad. The Bills reportedly attempted to do so, but Harrell ultimately decided to be signed to Green Bay’s active roster, knowing that current backup QB Matt Flynn is likely to get a lot of free agent offers elsewhere this offseason thereby opening the door for him to be Aaron Rodgers backup.

“They were very interested,” Harrell said of the Bills. “I don’t know what the quarterback situation is there. They didn’t say they were giving (me) a position or anything like that. They just said, ‘We want to have you here,’ and (my agent) said they were very interested and wanted you to come. Being here, it’s been too great of a place to me and I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve been here. This is too good of an organization to leave if you have an opportunity to stay.”

Harrell told the Washington Post that he talked to Rodgers about the decision he had to make and that Rodgers told him to stay with the Packers.

“He told me I should stay,” Harrell said. “Maybe that was a selfish reason because he and I get along so well and he’s pretty comfortable right now. I trust him and he wouldn’t advise me in the wrong direction. I’m excited to be here. Having him definitely helps, not only because we get along so well but he’s such a great player and he can do everything he can to teach you. It’s a great place to learn and develop.”

Harrell ran Texas Tech’s high-octane offense in college where he finished with 15,793 passing yards while completing almost 70 percent of his passes with 134 touchdowns against 34 interceptions averaging 351 yards passing per game.